Apparatus for maintaining selected differential values



Aug. 23; 193s.

F. J. EAST ET AL APPARATUS FR MAINTAINING SELECTED DIFFERENTIAL VALUES s sheets-#sheet 1 Filed June 23. 1934 l WITNESS Blf 4 TTORNEYS ug. 23, 1938. F' J, EAST E1- AL 2,128,176

APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING SELECTED DIFFERENTIAL VALUES Filed June 23. -19154 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ILVE.

CI'SLL /foL F 4. F. 591Mo BERG i BY A TTORNE VS Aug. 23, 1938. F. J. EAST ET AL 2,128,176

APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING SELECTED DIFFERENTIAL VALUES -Filed June 25. 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 N 1 'h j' .ab s x ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED 'STATES APPARATUS FOB MAINTAININ DIFFERENTIAL VALUES Frank J. Bast, deceased,

PATENT oFFicE G SELECTED late of Queens Village,

poration or New York Applicatidl June 23. 1934, Serial No. 732,124

Claims This invention relates to apparatus for maintaining predetermined dierentlals in the condi- -tions at two selected points or places.

It is an object of the invention to provide a durabiy constructed device of this type which will accurately and reliably maintain a predetermined temperature, pressure or other diierentiai, such as. for example, a substantially constant wet and dry bulb temperature differential in a body of gas.

While the invention is capable or numerous applications, it will be more specifically described as embodied, by way of example, in an apparatus ior controlling the degree of humidity of relatively iixed gases by regulating the amount of vapor fed thereinto so as to maintain a substantially consta-nt wet and dry bulb differential.

Another object ot this invention is accordingly to provide a device of this type which will automatically maintain a selected psychrometric temperature diii'erentiai oi a body of gas, and which, when the differential setting is adjusted for fluctuations in the dry bulb temperature, can also maintain a predetermined relative humidity in such gas.

It is a further object ot the invention to provide adjustable means whereby the content of a vapor in the body of gas may be regulated at will.

According to the present invention, in the embodiment selected for illustration the supply of the vapor whose content in the body o1' gas is to be maintained at a predetermined value, is controlled by a. iluid operated servo-motor, such as a diaphragm needle valve, which in turn is controlled by mechanism responsive to variations in the wet and dry bulb temperature diierential oi a psychrometer in contact with the gas to correspondingly regulate the feed of the servo-motor as the wet and dry bulb diierential varies from the predetermined value.

The present invention is o! particular utility in controlling the Water vapor content of natural gas by maintaining a vapor content in such gas which is not appreciably below a predetermined minimum. Thus it has been found that distribution pipe systems which previously had been satisfactorily tight for manufactured gas soon began to leak when the same systems were used for natural gas. The reason for this leakage was found to be due to the fact that the natural gas is almost entirely devoid of water vapor, whereas (Cl. 23S- 44) manufactured gas contains from 50% to 100% moisture based on the amount of dry gas. This extreme dryness of natural gas causes the packed joints in the pipe line and the leather diaphragme in the meters to dry out and leak. To avoid replacing of pipes or making joints which are leakproof for dry gases, it was found that i! the natural gas was saturated with water vapor in the form of steam..with an additional oil spray, the old pipe lines soon became tight again. l0 The invention will be further specically described in connection with the moistening oi' natural gas, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the humidiiying of such gas but is applicable to processes generally in which it is desired to control the vapor content oi' more or less fixed gases and to processes which depend upon maintaining a selected differential of conditions substantially constant.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way oi' example a satisfactory arrangement for humidiiying natural gas, Fig. l showing a diagrammatic elevation oi the entire apparatus, partly in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view'of the 25 wet bulb housing shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is `a transverse section along the line I-I of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a similar section along the line 5 5 oi Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view o! the recorder controller shown in Fig. 1 with a part oi the chart and its support removed to show the interior structure; Fig. 7 is a plan view oi the Bourdon springs, or tubes, shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings which, as 35 stated, illustrates the invention as speciically employed in maintaining the proper amount of moisture in a natural gas line. the reference character l designates a portion of a gas distribution system, the pipes or which are usually of large diameter, viz., i'rom 6 to 12", and in which the gas tlows in the direction of the arrows. A steam pipe 2 projects through an opening in the pipe l and has attached to the dis'- charge end thereof a nozzle 3 which sprays the 45 steam into the stream of gas. A diaphragm needle valve i controls the amount of steam intermixing with the gas stream. The opening and closing of the valve l are regulated by the controller 5 which includes mechanism responsive to 50 the difference in temperature ot the dry bulb 8 and the wet bulb 1. The dry bulb 5, which is lled with a thermometric iuid chosen with due regard to the temperature range and other considerations, is shown mounted in an elbow of the pipe line I and is suitably insulated therefrom by a holder 0 of Bakelite or other heat insulating material to minimize the conduction o! the ambient temperature of the pipe I to such bulb. By placin the dry bulb B in the illustrated position direct contact with the flowing gas stream is assured. However, the dry bulb may be mounted at other suitable locations within the pipe I.

In order to truly measure the psychrometric elect, it is necessary in the present instance that the gas pass over the wet bulb 1 at a velocity of approximately 15 feet per second. As the gas `stream of the pipe line I generally moves at a slower rate, suitable measures are provided for increasing locali-y the speed of at least a portion thereof. Thus the psychrometer may be of the aspiration type, the wet bulb 1 being mounted in a sampling line into which gas from the distribution system is drawn at the desired velocity by means of a suction fan 9. The sampling line comprises a pipe IIJ of appreciably smaller diameter than the pipe I and projects through a suitable opening into the interior of the latter. The intake end of the pipe IU is positioned approximately in the center of the gas pipe I, the opening at such intake end being preferably beveled and facing oppositely to the direction of ilow of the gas stream so as to divert a portion thereof. 'Ihe gas drawn up through the pipe l0 passes into the bulb howsing Il, over the wick-covered bulb 1, then through the suction ian 9 back into the main gas pipe I through the pipe I2. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the wet bulb 'I ls supported in an opening in one of the end walls of the bulb housing I I and is insulated therefrom by a covering I3 of Bakelite or other heat insulating material to minimize the inuence of the temperature of the housing on the bulb. As it is desirable to keep the air space around the web bulb as small as the area o! the pipe I0 in order to increase the velocity oi' the gas passing the bulb 1, the housing is so constructed that its walls are quite near to such bulb. A Bakelite shield I4, see Figs. 3 and 4, which almost entirely surrounds the wet bulb 1, is provided in order to minimize the inuence of the temperature of the air surrounding the housing casting, such shield also reducing the cross-sectional area of iiow. The shield I4 is supported in the housing by lugs I5 and IIi provided on the inner wall of the housing casting. The cover l1 oi! the housing is held in gas-tight manner by wing nuts I8 and may be removed to clean or replace the wick I9 on the wet bulb 1. yThe wick passes over the wet bulb 1 and has a depending portion which extends into a well 2li formed in the lower portion of the housing Il. The water contained in the well 2li is supplied through a pipe 2l, see Figs. l and 3, the ow of water being controlled by a needle valve 22. An overflow pipe 23 of suitable height is provided in the wet bulb housing to maintain the water level in the well at a predetermined height. as shown in Fig. 5, the pipe being provided with a suitable trap (not shown), as is well understood in the art, to prevent escape of gas through such pipe. The dry bulb I and the wet bulb 1 are connected by suitable connecting tubes 25 and 25, respectively, to the controlling device 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The controlling device 5 comprises a casing 30 of any suitable type within which is rotatably supported a recording sheet or chart 3l operated by the clockwork mechanism 32 in a manner well known in the art. The chart 3|, as shown in Fig. 6, is divided of! into twosections 33 and 34, the section receiving the record oi the wet and dry bulb temperature diierential and the section 34 the record of the variations in temperature at the dry bulb 5. A pen arm or stylus 35 fixed, as by fastening means 3B, to an angular bracket 35' pivoted upon a pin 55 mounted within the casing 35 registers the temperature of the dry bulb on the chart section 34. The stylus 35 is actuated by any suitable responsive mechanism and in the embodiment illustrated is connected by an adjustable link 31 to an arm 3B fixed to the inner end oi. a Bourdon spring 39. 'I'he latter is connected by a capillary tube 4ll to a source of pressure such as the dry bulb 6 by means of the connection 25. It will be understood that the outer end of the spring 39 is xed to the casing 3l) as by a clamp 4I while the inner end is free to move in response to changes in the pressure of the fluid in such spring. Thus any changes in the pressure of the iluid in the spring 39 will cause the stylus 35 to pivot loosely about the pin 55 in a direction depending upon whether the temperature of the gas stream in the pipe I is increasing or decreasing and will register on the chart 34 the temperature existing in the gas main I.

A second Bourdon spring 42 is also supported by the clamp 4I in parallel relation with respect to the Bourdon spring 39 and coiled in the same direction as the latter and is connected by a capillary tube 43 to a second source of pressure such as the wet bulb 'I by means oi the connection 26. Attached to the inner end of the Bourdon spring 42 is an arm 44 which is connected to one end of a walking beam or lever 45 by means of a link 45. A link 41 connects the opposite end of the walking beam 45 to an arm 48 attached to the inner end of the Bourdon spring 39. The walking beam 45 is fulcrumed at 49 on a bracket 50 supported by a lever 5I. The latter is plvotally supported at one end by a bracket 52 fixed within the casing, the other end of the lever being connected to a link 53 whose upper end is connected to an arm 54 secured at one end to the pin or spindle 55 supported in the casing. Also secured to the spindle 55 is the dilerential pen arm 56 which moves over the chart 3l. By this arrangement, the differential of the temperatures of the wet and dry bulbs will be registered on the scale 33 and any changes in the difference of pressure of the fluids in the Bourdon springs 39, 42 due to a change of conditions in the pipe I, will cause the pen arm 56 to pivot about the spindle 55 in a direction depending upon whether the temperature diierential of the gas in the pipe I is increasing or decreasing. For example, when both Bourdon springs 38 and 42 are caused to expand the same amount due to an increase in temperature of the gas stream. the wet and dry bulb temperature differential of the gas remaining the same, dry

bulb arm 48 will move downwardly and wet bulb arm 44 will move upwardly an equal amount, giving a purely circular motion to the walking beam or lever 45 about its fulcrum 49, thereby leaving such fulcrum in unchanged position.

This is due to the fact that. as can be seen from the drawings. the arms 44 and 48 are of equal effective length, and likewise the links 45 and 41, the latter being connected to the lever 45 equidistantly from the fulcrum 4I. However, should only one of the Bourdon springs 3l, l! expand or contract, or should one expand or contract a greater amount than the other due to a change in the temperature and/or vapor content of the gas in the pipe I, the iulcrum point Il of the walking beam will be lowered or raised as the case may be, thus causing the lever il to move about its iulcrum to correspondingly lower or raise the link il. and through the arm il and spindle 5I swing the pen arm II a corresponding amount outwardly or inwardly. For instance, should only one o! the Bourdon springs. such as the wet bulb spring Il, contract due to a lower temperature at .wet bulb 1, indicating a drop in the temperature differential oi thevgas and hence a lower humidity, the dry bulb temperature of the gas remaining the same, the arm Il will move downwardly and carry with it the tulcrum 4l, bracket Il, lever li, link Il. and arm Il. The pen arm Il will them tend to rotate outwardly with the spindle Il and register an increase in the diii'erence between the temperatures of the wet and dry bulbs. Thus by this arrangement any variation in the diii'erential ci' the movements of the Bourdon springs Il and 42 is transmitted to the pen arm I8. The control mechanism whereby correction is made for the change in the pressure differential so as to keep it constant, and keep the relative humidity constant tor a given dry bulb temperature, will now be described.

Pivoted concentrically with the stylus or pen arm II is a setting pointer or arm B0 which is adapted to overlie the ileld 33 on the chart 3| as shown in Fig. 6. The setting o! the pointer BB predetermines by means oi the mechanism hereinatter described, the vapor content of the gas stream in that section of the distribution system where the dry and wet bulbs B, 1 are located. The setting of the pointer 6B is adjusted without opening the casing 3B by mechanism similar to that specifically described in United States Patent No. 1,837 ,397 to Frank J. Bast, dated December 22, i931. Thus by turning the knurled end of the rotatable rod 8l which extends into the casing 30, a screw i2 which passes through a correspondingly threaded sleeve flxedly mounted lnteriorly of the rod Il, is caused to shift a block 63, attached to one end thereof. longitudinally in a direction depending upon which way the rod 6I is turned. The block 83 which is slidably mounted on a base B4 xed within the casing and is guided in its sliding movement by a bolt i5 passing through an elongated slot 6l in such block, is operatively connected to the pointer lll so that any movement of the block 63 will cause the pointeril to rotate about its pivot in the direction that the block 63 is moved by therod 8i.

In a manner similar to that described and shown in the aforementioned patent, the inner end oi' the block 3J is provided with a tapped hole (not shown) which receives an internally and externally threaded member B1. An externally threaded screw BB is received within the member l1. The screw 68 is provided with an axial channel communicating at its upper end with a nozzle 69 which projects through a vertical slot cut through the right-hand section of the block 63 as shown and described in the above mentioned patent. The outlet end of the nozzle is planar for the purpose to be described hereinbelow. The member 81 is externally threaded right-hand and internally threaded lett-hand so that upon revolution thereof, the screw 68, which is threaded lett-handed, is given an axial or longitudinal movement free of rotation. Thus upon rotation of the member I1 the nomle Il will be moved upward or downward. The lower end oi' the screw il is iltted with ahead or cap 1I which is tapped to receive the threaded end of an air conduit 1I which is soldered to the head and communicates with the axial channel in screw Il.

The conduit 1| is suitably connected to a block 12 which is connected by means of a pipe 13 with the interior of an expansible or capsular spring 14. 'I'he capsule 14 is operatively associated with an air relay or pilot valve shown in the torni of a ball valve 15 which controls the communication between an air supply conduit 1l and a conduit 11. the latter connecting the diaphragm needle valve 4 with the air passage 1l in the valve 1l through a channel 'I9 formed in the valve casing. The valvel 1i may be composed of two balls 8l and BI mounted on a stem l! which is actuated by the capsule 1I. 'me lower ball valve Il seats on the lower end of the passage 1l when the valves are in raised position, as shown in Fig. 6. thus cutting oil' the source of air supply to the conduit 11. In this position of the valves, the air or other pressure fluid in the diaphragm valve l and conduit 11 is exhausted into the atmosphere through an enlarged bore in the valve body which loosely receives the stem 82. When the valves are in lowered position theV upper valve Il seats on the upper end oi' the passage 1l, thus closing the opening to the atmosphere, the valve l0 being in open position allowing air from the supply conduit 1B to tlow into the conduit 11 and valve I through the air passage 1! and channel 1I. A conduit Il connects the air supply pipe 1U with the block 12. The block has a small hole through which air is supplied to the capsule 14 and to the nozzle II. the oriiice of the latter being slightly larger than such hole, and when completely open permits all the air going through block 12 to escape therethrough, so that there is substantially no pressure in the capsule 1I. A shunt or pressure balancing coil or line 8l is provided between the feed line 11 to the diaphragm valve l and the i'eed back 13 from the capsule 14 to the nozzle 89, such coil operating to dampen the initial dow of air to and from the diaphragm valve 4 and preventing sudden and rapidly iluctuating changes in the feed oi the steam to the pipe I, as described in detail in the patent to Frank J. Bast, 1,988,775, dated January 22, 1935.

Pivoted at l! upon the block Il above the nozzle 69 is a plate or liep valve II counter-weighted at lll and adapted to cover the oriiice or outlet end of the nozzle B9 so as to prevent or limit the escape of air therefrom. Due to the fact that the nozzle outlet is cut along a plane, an air-tight engagement between the valve 86 and nozzle is assured when required. The iiap valve BI has a portion 88 thereof extending above its pivot and located in the path of movement of an arm I8 pivoted about the pivot of the stylus or pen arm 5I and iixed to the latter so as to move therewith.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: l

Assuming that the ilap valve l1 is resting against the outlet end of the nozzle 69, as shown in the drawings, i. e. the nozzle 89 is closed, air from the supply conduit 1S is charged into the capsule 14 through the conduit 83, block 12 and conduit 13. The diaphragm 'il expands and forces the stem 82 downwardly, causing the ball valve 8l to seat on the upper end of the passage 18, thus cutting on' communication between the conduit 11 and the external atmosphere. Simultaneously the ball valve Il moves from its seating position on the lower end oi' the passage 1l.

opening the communication between the conduit 11 and the supply conduit 1E, so that air from the latter is charged through the passage 1l, channel 'Il and conduit 'I1 into the diaphragm valve l. depressing the diaphragm thereof and causing the feed valve controlled thereby to stop the feed of steam into the pipe system I. Should the wet and dry bulb temperature differential of the gas flowing through the pipe i rise above a predetermined value as indicated by the setting of the arm 80 and the corresponding position of the nozzle B9, that is, li the relative humidity falls, the arm I9 will engage the extension 88 of the flap valve B6 and oscillate the same to ope'n the nozzle 69 partially. A portion of the air in the capsule Il is thus permitted to discharge through the nozzle B8 and the ball valves are permitted to rise to close partially the communication between the supply conduit 16 and conduit 'I1 and to open partially the communication between pipe 11 and the atmosphere. Sufficient air is thereupon discharged by the pipe l1 and the diaphragm valve l into the atmosphere to cause the feed valve controlled thereby to open to an extent sufliclent to feed just enough fluid, such as steam, into the pipe system I to maintain the temperature differential of the gas stream at a predetermined value.

It will be obvious that the present invention may be applied to arrangements other than the speciiic one illustrated, and that variations may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, it is not essential that the vapor be introduced into the gasin the form of vapor; lt may be injected in the form of liquid, preferably iinely atomized, and where in the claims we speak of introducing vapor, it is to b'e understood that other states of aggregation ultimately reducible to the vapor state are included as equivalents. It will also be evident that our improved mechanism may be employed to maintain substantially constant a pressure differential between two selected places and may in fact be used to respond to uctuations of various kinds of magnitudes sol as to maintain a predetermined diiferential.

It will be understood that the mechanism above described essentially controls automatically only the wet and dry bulb temperature diiferential, and controls the relative humidity only for a fixed dry bulb temperature; where the dry bulb4 temperature varies. the temperature differential setting must be'varied accordingly if a selected humidity is to be maintained. Thus the attendant may be supplied with a chart or table indicating the diierential setting required for various dry bulb temperatures to maintain a selected relative humidity. Also, while Bourdon springs are shown for purposes of illustration, any other suitable temperature-responsive means may readily be substituted as an equivalent thereto under our invention.

We claim:

l. Apparatus for maintaining a substantially constant wet and dry bulb temperature differential in a body of gas, comprising a conduit for conducting a gas to a place of storage or use. means for introducing into the conduit a controlled quantlty of vapor, wet and dry bulb mechanism for determining the degree of saturation of the gas with said vapor, said mechanism comprising a thermostatic bulb disposed in said oondult. a by-pass for diverting a portion of said `gas stream. said bypass including a housing having an inlet and an outlet opening, a well ln said housing. means for feeding water to said well, an overilow in said housing to maintain the water level in said well at a predetermined height. a thermostatic bulb mounted in said housing, a wick surrounding said bulb and depending therefrom into the water in said well. means for causing the diverted gas to now through said housing and over said wet bulb at a velocity greater than that of the gases in the conduit to obtain an lncreased psychromatic eilect, and mechanism controlled by the dierential movements of said wet and dry bulb mechanism for controlling said l vapor introducing means to cause the latter to feed so much vapor into the conduit as will malntain the depression of the wet bulb temperature at substantially the predetermined value.

l2. In an apparatus for maintaining a substantially constant wet and dry bulb temperature differential in a body of gas. the combination with a vapor feeding valve adapted to introduce into the body of gas a controlled quantity of vapor, of mechanism for translating variations of the wet bulb depression of such gas from a desired value into adjustments of said valve, comprising Bourdon tubes operatively connected with wet and dry bulbs acted on by said gas, an arm attached to the inner end of each of said Bourdon tubes. a pivotally supported lever, a, second lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said lever, links connecting said arms to the opposite ends of said second lever, the angular movements of the first-mentioned lever corresponding to departures of the wet bulb depression from the predetermined value, and mechanism actuated by said first-mentioned lever for adjusting the position of said valve.

3. Apparatus for maintaining a substantially constant wet and dry bulb temperature diil'ercntial in a body of gas, comprising a conduit for conducting a gas to a place of storage or use, an air operated valve for introducing into the conduit a controlled quantity of vapor, wet and dry bulb mechanism responsive to the degree of saturation of the gas with said vapor, said mechanism comprising a dry bulb arranged in the path of the gas, a by-pass for diverting a portion of the gas stream, means for causing the diverted gas to flow through said by-pass at a velocity greater than that of the gases in the conduit, a wet bulb arrangement disposed in said by-pass. a pair of Bourdon tubes connected at one end to the dry and wet bulbs respectively, a lever connected at its ends to the other ends of the Bourdon tubes and in such manner that expansion and contraction of the Bourdon tubes to equal degrees causes only rotation of the lever about its pivot, whereas unequal degrees of expansion or contraction produce bodily movement of said lever, mechanism partaking of the bodily movementof said lever and an air relay controlled by said mechanism for governing the pneumatic pressure on said valve.

4. Apparatus for maintaining a substantially constant wet and dry bulb temperature diil'erential in a body of gas, comprising a conduit for conducting a gas to a place of storage or use, a valve for introducing into the conduit a controlled quantity of vapor. wet and dry bulb mechanism responsive to the degree of saturation of the gas with said vapor. said mechanism comprising a dry bulb arranged in the path of the gas, a bypass for diverting a portion of the gas stream. means for causing the diverted gas to flow through said by-pass at a velocity greater than and means partaking of the bodily movement ot said lever and operatively connecting said lover with said valve to open the latter upon an increase of said temperature diierential beyond a predetermined value thereof.

KATHERINE EAST, Erecutrix 0f the Estate of Frank J. Bast, De-

ceased.

ROLF A. FREDR.. SANDBERG.

traction produce bodily movement o( said lever,

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

l August 25, 1958. KATHERINE BAST, EXECUTRIX OF FRANK J. BAS'I', DECEASED; ET AL.

Patent No. 2,128,176.

It ishereby certified that errorappears in'the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1.4., first column, line Tl, claiml, for the words for determining" reed responsive to; same page', second column, line 7, same' claim l, after "well,'l insert the words and comme. and a device for translating wet and dry bulb temperature differentials into differential movements of a mechanical member and lines l2 and l5, strike out theI words "wet anddry bulb mechanism sind insert .instead the word member; and that the seidv Letters Patent should be read with thisv correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed lthis 11th day of October, A. D. 1938.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.`

and means partaking of the bodily movement ot said lever and operatively connecting said lover with said valve to open the latter upon an increase of said temperature diierential beyond a predetermined value thereof.

KATHERINE EAST, Erecutrix 0f the Estate of Frank J. Bast, De-

ceased.

ROLF A. FREDR.. SANDBERG.

traction produce bodily movement o( said lever,

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

l August 25, 1958. KATHERINE BAST, EXECUTRIX OF FRANK J. BAS'I', DECEASED; ET AL.

Patent No. 2,128,176.

It ishereby certified that errorappears in'the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1.4., first column, line Tl, claiml, for the words for determining" reed responsive to; same page', second column, line 7, same' claim l, after "well,'l insert the words and comme. and a device for translating wet and dry bulb temperature differentials into differential movements of a mechanical member and lines l2 and l5, strike out theI words "wet anddry bulb mechanism sind insert .instead the word member; and that the seidv Letters Patent should be read with thisv correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed lthis 11th day of October, A. D. 1938.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.` 

